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Humanity is like a Patchwork Quilt Each patchwork piece contributes to holding the quilt together, yet each is unique.

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Monthly Archives: May 2011

This blog is a Kitsap Sun reader blog. The Kitsap Sun neither edits nor previews reader blog posts. Their content is the sole creation and responsibility of the readers who produce them. Reader bloggers are asked to adhere to our reader blog agreement. If you have a concern or would like to start a reader blog of your own, please contact sunnews@kitsapsun.com.

The Community Leader of the Year Award went to Linsey Mayhew for
her work in keeping the Q
Center (Silverdale) a safe and vibrant place for Kitsap County
LGBTQ youth.

Awardees Linsey Mayhew and Dan
Savage

The Advisor of the Year Award went to Debra Bidwell for her work
as an advisor for the North Mason High School Gay Straight Alliance
(GSA).

Debra Bidwell receiving her award

Linsey and Debra had good company, as one of the other awardees
was Dan Savage (of Seattle) – The IMPACT Award went to Dan Savage
and his partner Terry Miller for their work starting the
It Gets Better
Project. The It Gets Better Project was a
response to tragic suicides by young LGBT folks, and is an effort
to give hope to those youth about what the future holds for
them. The idea is for individuals and groups to send in their
videos with the message of It Gets Better. The videos now
number in the thousands, and the number of times they have been
viewed in the millions.

From It Gets Better Project website:
“The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people
the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will
reach – if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets
Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that
they are not alone — and it WILL get better.”

One of the other GLSEN awards has an important link to Kitsap
County. The Rob Goldsworthy Outstanding Educator of the Year
Award, which went to Mike Knoth of Bellingham High School, is named
after a popular Bainbridge Island High School teacher. He
taught there for 12 years until he passed away.

Other awards handed out by GLSEN Washington that night:Community Organization of the Year Award:
Seattle Parks